Morning, Dublin! 🎺 Right, no easing you in gently today. St. Patrick's Festival officially kicks off this evening, and the city is already buzzing. Forget Friday the 13th being unlucky, this year it's the most exciting Friday of the calendar. Big transport warning below, a brilliant Northside Gaeilge night to tell you about, and the one and only David Byrne is in town tonight. Let's go. 🍀

Today: 🌨️ Rain and snow. High of 7°C.

Tonight: ☁️ Mostly cloudy. Low of 2°C.

The Wind: Heavy gusts from the west at 21 mph.

Precipitation: There's a 35% chance of snow during the day, so expect slushy pavements for the lunch run.

Today is the day. After weeks of build-up, St. Patrick's Festival 2026 officially gets going this evening in Dublin — and it runs right through to Tuesday March 17th. The theme this year is "Roots" — all about identity, belonging, and where we come from. Very fitting for a city that's changed so much in the last decade.

Fáilte Ireland reckons today — Friday March 13th — is the single busiest day for tourists arriving into the country this whole year. That means the city is going to be buzzing, the pubs are going to be rammed, and getting anywhere near the Liffey in a car is probably a bad idea. Fair warning given.

Southside · Dundrum: Good news if you're waiting for housing in the Dundrum area. Plans are progressing for nearly 1,000 new homes on the former Central Mental Hospital site — a huge old Victorian complex off Gort na Móna Drive that the HSE closed back in 2023. The Land Development Agency is backing it. There's still a statutory period for legal challenges, but local TD Sean Brennan called it "exactly the kind of housing delivery we need more of." Fingers crossed it doesn't hit the same wall as every other Dublin housing project.

📍 Dublin 3 (Clontarf/Santry): A man in his 20s was arrested this week following an investigation into "suspicious approaches to children" near the Howth Road. Gardaí confirmed they searched a property in Santry before making the arrest.

Southside · Tallaght / Lucan / D24 : Today is the final day to have your say on South Dublin's County Development Plan. The consultation — which covers long-term housing zoning, planning policy, and where new homes get built across Tallaght, Lucan, Clondalkin and beyond — closes at midnight tonight. If you've been meaning to make a submission and keep putting it off, this is genuinely your last chance. Submit here →

Northside · Clontarf / Dublin 3 : Permission was granted back in January for nine new dwellings on Howth Road, Clontarf — seven two-storey houses and two bungalows, with all site works included. Small scale but every bit counts in D3, which remains one of the most sought-after and least affordable postcodes on the Northside. New build apartments at Graymount Gardens, Howth are also coming soon — one to two beds launching off plans. Another sign the Northside is finally getting some developer love.

Dublin-Wide · Renters : A heads-up for anyone renting in a new tenancy from this month — the Rent Pressure Zone protection that's been in place is effectively being wound down, meaning landlords in new tenancies can push rents higher than before. Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin warned this week that it could push more families towards homelessness in 2026. If you're about to sign a new lease, make sure you know your rights. The RTB website is the place to start.

Dublin Bus has confirmed that diversions are in place from today until Wednesday, March 18th — that's the entire festival period, not just Tuesday. If your usual route goes anywhere near the city centre, check before you leave the house this morning.

🌙 Nitelink is back tonight — running this Friday night, Saturday night, and again on Tuesday night. If you're heading out for the festival craic, this is your safe-home option. Last Nitelinks run into the small hours, serving Northside and Southside routes.

On Tuesday, March 17th: Tara Street Station will be closed until 4pm — use Connolly or Pearse instead. Luas Red Line won't run between Smithfield and Connolly from 10am–3pm. Green Line paused between St Stephen's Green and Dominick from 7am–6pm.

👉 Check your route at dublinbus.ie or the TFI Journey Planner before heading out any day this weekend.

Dublin city centre — buses diverting from today until Wednesday 18th · Wikimedia Commons

Parade kicks off at noon on Tuesday 17th March, starting at Granby Row/Parnell Square (Northside), down O'Connell Street, across the Liffey, and finishing at Cuffe Street/Kevin Street junction (Southside). 2.5km of floats, bands, and pure madness. Get there by 9am for a good spot on O'Connell Street — it fills up fast.

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Right, that's your Friday sorted. It's going to be a wild weekend in this city — embrace it. Wrap up warm if you're heading out tonight because it is nippy. And if you're near Smithfield before 8pm, pop into the Cobblestone for the Gaeltacht — even if your Irish is just "Sláinte" and "Tá sé fuar," you'll have a brilliant time.

We'll be back tomorrow morning with your weekend round-up — everything you need to know before heading into the festival. 🎺☘️

— The Dublin Scoop Team